OAKWOOD — West Hall High’s Juan Arbelaez began the 2009 soccer season with a new mindset: think positively.

“Last year, I was thinking negative,” the senior midfielder said. “Now I think positive, and I get my teammates involved.”

The strategy is working, and a quick glance at the Spartans’ statistics last week makes it crystal clear. Arbelaez scored five goals and added four assists in two dominant wins, making him one of the area’s leading scorers early in the season.

Arbelaez credits his five fellow senior teammates, who he has played with for years in middle school and in the Lanier Soccer Association, for his success. With such familiarity with each other, the West Hall (2-0) offense has wasted no time shutting down opponents, outscoring them 12-1 last week.

“The goals are just coming,” Arbelaez said. “I’ve played with some of my teammates since middle school, so that helps with chemistry.”

A decade of perfecting his game also helped Arbelaez realize his skills. Born in Columbia, he had already played soccer for six years before moving to Oakwood when he was 14. He then began playing for the middle school and other clubs, assisted by the guidance of his father, a former player himself, and his club coach, Sergio Magana, who was pivotal in elevating his game to an elite level.

“My dad has been my inspiration to get things done,” Arbelaez said. “Sergio has been like a second dad.”

Arbelaez’s breakthrough at the national level came when his club, Alianza, traveled to Disney’s Wide World of Sports for the Disney Showcase, a tournament for clubs across the country.

A strong performance at the showcase had Arbelaez leaving Orlando with scholarship offers from Indiana, Rutgers, Georgia Southern and his top choice, Illinois-Chicago.

“My dream is to go pro,” Arbelaez said. “But I’m going to let things fall into place.”

Spartans coach Wolfgang Jager believes that Arbelaez has all the traits necessary to play at the college, and ultimately the professional level.

“He’s as complete of a soccer player as you can find,” Jager said. “He has great speed, superior ball skills and can make long passes. His talent is unquestionable.”

While Arbelaez is excited about the possibilities of college soccer and what lies beyond, Jager has been sure to keep him focused on what’s in front of him right now. Despite recent success in the Spartans’ program, Arbelaez has yet to be part of state playoff team.

“Preparing for college means doing the best you can (in high school),” Jager said. “It’s a step in the right direction, but we have to keep our feet on the ground.”

Luckily, Arbelaez’s current endeavors have him motivated, as West Hall looks to make a push for a region title and a state playoff berth.

“We’re ready to take on anybody,” Arbelaez said. “The region knows how to win tough games. But they’re not unbeatable."